Putting people with disabilities back at the heart of the NDIS
Phil was appointed Wallara CEO in 2010 after a 20 year career spanning investment banking, commercial law and sports marketing. Wallara is an innovative not-for-profit organisation providing individualised supports and services to people with disability.
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Putting people with disabilities back at the heart of the NDIS
30 August 2024 at 9:00 am
30 August 2024 at 9:00 am
This weeks Pro Bono Australia change maker is Phil Hayes-Brown, CEO of Wallara. Phil’s job is to generate partnerships and drive initiatives that enable Wallara to provide better outcomes than it can alone, ideally in a way that drives greater community awareness and inclusion. Wallara operates 5 certified social enterprises across logistics and e-commerce, hospitality, land management services and media, provides supported living to 40+ clients and Learning & Lifestyle programs from 8 locations all powered a workforce of 600 where 45% are people with disabilities.
Phil is an active advocate for the disability sector, a very proud registered provider with a special interest in raising the voice of people with intellectual disability and protecting the rights of that group and their families to have the same choices as people without disability. He has a Bachelor of Economics and Law from Monash University and is also an Adjunct Professor (Research) at Monash University. Read on for our interview with Phil!
Describe your career trajectory and how you got to your current position.
After 20 years across banking, commercial law and sports marketing with NBA and Hawthorn FC, I started as CEO at Wallara in 2010. The Wallara move was inspired by wanting to make a difference and our daughter Phoebe being born with a moderate intellectual impairment and nonverbal.
What does this role mean to you?
I have been very lucky to have some dream jobs, but this is by far the most rewarding and challenging role to date. It’s a privilege to play a part in changing lives for this population.
How do you stay motivated to work in this field?
I am fortunate to have a great staff team and a superb Board that gives us room to innovate. We operate a 40 acre farm (Sages Cottage Farm in Baxter) and now run 5 certified social enterprises at a time when disability is high profile. And we work with some cool partners like St Kilda Football Club and Monash University. Plus our daughter is now 22 – I want her to have her best life so all that drives me to do better.
How do you unwind after work?
In Summer I swim in the Bay and I even do that a bit through winter for the shock value and bragging rights.
What was the last thing you watched, Read, & Listened to?
I love 2 podcasts – Freakonomics and Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell. On Netflix I love the sports documentaries like Dawn Wall, Icarus and the Dallas Cheerleaders series.
